Light pointers are commonly used to provide a means for drawing attention to particular locations or items on a display. The display may be any form of visual media, as for example but not limited to, a photo or drawing or picture or painting or mural or projected slide or motion picture or video display or combination thereof or other media conveying visual information to the human eye or to a camera or detector of any type. Light pointers typically function as indicators by projecting a distinctive spot of light onto the material being displayed. Lasers are commonly used as light sources for such optical pointers.
Laser light pointers are known in the art. The Laser Powerpointer.TM. manufactured by Lyte Optronics, Inc. of Santa Monica, CA 90405 is an example of a state-of-the-art optical pointer utilizing an optical diode laser as the light source. It has an tubular shape about 8.5 mm in diameter by about 13 cm in length with a diode laser generated light beam projected from one end when a switch on the side is depressed.
While this and other light pointers are very useful, they are limited in function. For example, no light indicator or pointer is known to exist which also provides a writing or marking function in the same unit. This and other deficiencies of present day light pointers are overcome by the arrangement of the present invention.
As used herein the word "pen", whether singular or plural, is intended to refer to any means for writing or drawing or marking. Non-limiting examples are: nib or ball or felt (or other porous) tip pens or markers using liquid or paste or dry inks, and erodible chalk, pencil, crayon, charcoal or other markers, and scratching or etching or engraving tools, and/or combinations thereof. As used herein the words "marking" and "writing" are intended to including marking, writing, printing, drawing and any other form of notation produced by a marker or pen and the word "marker" is intended to include the word "pen".